Hi Tweets,

A friend wanted to do the Edmonds waterfront/Marsh/Willow Creek
Hatchery/Point Edwards walk for the Great Backyard Bird Count this
morning. I grabbed my scope and offered to help out. Exuberant
constant winds from the northwest kept us peering out from behind a
shelter on the public pier. We surveyed the area north of the ferry
dock from Sunset Avenue, in the comfort of the car. The other areas
were not so brutal since they were not quite as exposed.

In spite of the winds and heavy seas, the usual winter birds of Puget
Sound were seen with the exception of loons and Western Grebes. We
spotted both Brant and Canada Goose. Brant numbers were near 50.
Ducks included Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Surf Scoter, and Red-
breasted Merganser. One juvenile and two adult Bald Eagles were out.
Shorebirds were Sanderlings and one Dunlin. Both Double-crested and
Pelagic Cormorant were around as were Horned and Red-necked Grebes.
Alcids included Pigeon Guillemot, Rhinoceros Auklet, and Common
Murre. The only gulls were Mew and Glaucous-winged.

The Marsh hosted 11 Great Blue Herons and about 12 Killdeer. Ducks
included 5 Mallard and 2 Green-winged Teal. A number of Yellow-rumped
Warblers (all Audubon's) were working the trees and the tennis
courts. Glaucous-winged Gulls, Crows, Robins, Red-winged Blackbirds,
Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Towhees, and Juncos were enduring the weather,
too.

The Hatchery produced more Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Audubon's Yellow-
rumps and 1 Steller's Jay. From the Point Edwards path we added two
Northern Shovelers, 5 Bufflehead, 2 Green-winged Teals, over 20
Gadwalls, one Robin, and a Golden-crowned Sparrow.

Carol Riddell
Edmonds